Burner starting mechanism



Nov. 25, 1947. B. w. TULLIS BURNER STARTING IVIEC'IANlSM Filed May 20,1944 h\v\\st\s\\|\.\ D

I INVENTOR: aya W 7Z////5;

Y wwwmigv Patented Nov. 25, 1947 BURNERSTARTING MECHANISM Boyd W. Tulls,Wichita, Kans., assignor to The Coleman Company, Inc., a corporation ofKansas Application May 20, 1944, Serial No. 536,484

3 Claims.

This invention relates to liquid fuel burners of the type including avaporizer which is heated by the burner for converting liquid fuel to agas usable in the burner, and a supply tank for containing the liquidfuel under pressure sufl'icient to elevate the liquid fuel to thevaporizer.

It has been the practice to provide burners with instant lightingmechanisms which utilize the air in the supply tank for initiallyeffecting atomization of the fuel delivered through the vaporizer to theburner for producing a combustible mixture usable in the burner untilthe vaporizer is heated sufficiently to begin vaporization of the fuel.

Burners of this character have operated satisfactorily on straight-rungasolines but when ordinary motor fuels and those containing antiknockcompounds are used, the vaporizers soon clog and the burnerscannot beoperated after a few hours running time. This vis because the gums andanti-knock compoun-ds in such fuels decompose at vaporizing temperaturesand the products of combustion collect within the vaporizer, therebyblocking the flow of fuel.

In carrying out the present invention, I have discovered that thedifficulty may be reduced by increasing the capacity of the vaporizer toaccommodate the products of decomposition over longer periods, but whenthe capacity of the vaporizers was increased it was found that theinstant lighting mechanisms were rendered inoperative because ofinability to maintain atomization necessary to initially operate theburner.

Ii; is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention toprovide a. vaporizer of substantial capacity an-d a separate vaporizeroperating in conjunction therewith to respectively supply vaporized andatomized fuel to the burner.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a structure for initiallyatomizing the fuel for starting purposes and in which the operatingtemperature is kept below the decomposing temperatures of theobjectionable components of the fuel by the ow of primary air beingsupplied to the burner; to provide an atomizing mechanism which is ofsimple and eiective construction; and to provide a relatively largevaporizer capacity in association With an atomizing mechanism that isconservative -of the air inthe supply tank and which quickly andeifectively atomizes the fuel to supply the burner with suicient heattobring the vaporizer rapidly to vaporizing teinperatures. y

In accomplishing these` and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustratedin the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a lantern equipped with a vaporizerand atomizing mechanism embodying the featuresA of the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a liquid fuel burning appliance, for example,` a lanternconstructed for operation on any ordinary motor fuel which may containgums, anti-knock compounds, and the like.

The lantern includes `a fuel tank or fount 3 carrying a circular band 4on the top thereof mounting a base 5 for seating a lantern globe 6. Thebase 5 carries the lower ends of vertically arranged straps or posts Iwhich mount a lantern top 8 to close the top of the globe'. The lanterntop has an annular eave-like-periphery 9 and a central flanged portionto seat'a collar I0 having ventilation openings I'I` in the sidesthereof. The collar I 0 mounts a cap I2 having an annular eave I3 overlthe vent openings II. The posts 'I attach a carrying bail I4 havingtrunnions I5 mounted in lateral offsets I6 of the posts.

The fuel, indicated at I'Lis contained in the fount 3 and when thelantern is in operation, is kept under air pressure supplied by a pumpI8. The pump is manipulated by an actuator I9 and the air isdischarged'from the pump into the founi, through a tube 2l havingdischarge into the expansion space 20 at a, point near the top of thefount. Carried within the axial center of l the fount is an internallythreaded collar 22 mounting a threaded neck 23 of a valve 24 havinglateral branches 25 and 26 projecting through openings 2l and 28 in theband Il atv opposite diametrical sides thereof. The valve also includesan upwardly extending branch 29 that projects through an opening 30 inlthe globe base 5. The branch 25 has a channel 3lv connected With achannel A32l in the neckV of the valve. The channel 32 connects with atube or duct 33 having its upper end mounted within a counterbore 34 ofthe channel to support the opposite or inlet end 35 thereof slightlyVspaced above the bottom of the fount. The branch 25of the valve also hasa threaded bore 36 to mount the threaded stem 31 of a needle valve 38adapted to engage a seat encircling the channel3l, which channelconnects with an axial-channel39 inthe vertical branch 29 of the valve.The valve stem projects from the outer end of the vbranch 25 and -fueland produce a combustible mixture.

is sealed therearound by means of a packing 40 mounted within acounterbore of the bore 35, the packing being pressed about a smoothportion of the valve stern by a nut 4l threadingly connected withexterior threads on the branch of the valve and having a gland 42engaging the packing as shown in Fig. 1.

The projecting end of the valve is provided with a hand wheel 43 bywhich the valve may be rotated to move it to and from its seat, therebyopening and closing flow from the channel 32 to the channel 38 in thevertical branch of the valve. The vertical branch of the valve isbeveled at the upper end thereof and seats a beveled base flange 44 of avaporizer tube 45, the vaporizer tube being retained in position by aunion nut 46 rotatably mounted on the vaporizer tube and engaging thethreaded exterior of the vertical branch of the valve to provide aleak-tight joint and support the vaporlzer tube in fixed axial relationwith the lantern globe. The upper end of the vaporizer tube carries anozzle 41 having an internally threaded bore 48 for mounting a gas tip49 having an outlet orifice 58 for discharging gas into a mixing chamberl.

The mixing chamber 5I is provided in a depending hollow arm 52 of asubstantially T-shaped manifold 53 having lateral branches 54 carryingdepending burner or mantle tubes 55 and 56 having collars 51 at thelower ends thereof for mounting mantles 58. The mixing chamber isconnected with the upper ends of the tubes by a channel 59 and lateralchannels 6D and 6I that are provided in the-branches of the manifold asbest shown in Fig. 2. The ventilator cap l2 is anchored to the manifold53 by means of a screw 62 projecting through an opening 63 of the mixingchamber. With this arrangement and with the valve open, pressure withinthe air space of the fount displaces the fuel upwardly through the tube33, channel 32, and through the channels 3l and 38 into the vaporizertube.

When the lantern is in operation, the vaporizer tube `is heated to thevaporizing temperature of the fuel so that the fuel is converted into agas, which gas is discharged through the orifice 50 into the mixingchamber for mixture with combustion supporting air that is admitted tothe vaporizing chamber through a lateral L.shaped duct 64 which has itslower end threadedly connected as at 65 with the upper end of an airtube or duct 66. The air tube extends downwardlyr within the globe andtheA lower end thereof is removably mounted within a socket 61 of acollar 68 that is supported within an opening 69 formed in the globebase 5 as shown in Fig. 1 so that air admitted through suitable openings18 in the band 4 is drawn upwardly through the air tube and dischargedinto the mixing chamber through the L-shapedrduct 64 to combine with thevaporized The mixture is discharged through the channel 59 into thelateral channels 60 and 6| and through the tubes 55 and 56 to themantles 58 which depend alongside the vaporizer tube and whenincandescent provide heat to maintain the vaporizer tube at vaporizingtemperatures.

With the exception of certain features of construction in the vaporizingtube covered in a separate application filed even date herewith, thestructure thus far described is conventional and operates satisfactorilywhen straight-run gasolines areY used as a fuel; but as previouslypointed out, the vaporizer tube operates at temperatures above thedecomposing point of the gums and anti-knock compounds contained in themore readily available motor fuels, with the result that solids collectupon the wall of the vaporizer and block the passageway therethrough.This is overcome in the present invention by enlarging the portion ofthe vaporizer tube that is located within the hot Zone of the mantles.This is effected by providing the vaporizing tube with an outwardlyflaring offset 1li so that the vaporizing chamber therein is ofsubstantially greater capacity than a conventional vaporizer tubethereby providing space for the solids resulting from decompositionofthe objectionable compounds so that the lantern may be operated oversubstantially longer periods before it is necessary to replace thevaporizer. The nozzle of the tube is also provided with a clean-outneedle 1| that is projectable through the orifice 59 upon operation of alever 12 having a shaft portion 13 rotatably mounted in atting 14threaded into an opening 15 that is provided in a lateral boss 16 formedon the side ofthe vertical branch of the valve fitting as best shown inFig. 2. The sitting 14 has packing 11 which is pressed about the shaftof the operating lever by a packing nut 18, The cleanout needle iscarried on the upper end of a shaft 19 that is reciprocable through aguide tube 88. The lower end of the shaft is a tubular section 8l thatis reciprocably mounted within the bore 38 and is connected with a crank82 formed as a part ofthe shaft 19 and which has a terminal thatprojects into an opening 83 in the tubular section (see Fig. 2). Withthis arrange ment, the fuel may flow through the tubular portion of theshaft as well as around the periphery thereof so as to avoid as much aspossible obstruction to the flow of the fuel.

To facilitate. assembly and provide for free operation of the needleshaft, the tubular section thereof is preferably pivotally connectedwith the upper or rod portion of the shaft by providing an ear 84 on theupper end of the tubular section to connect with a lateral terminal 85on the lower end of the rod portion as shown in Fig. 1.

As stated above, liquid fuel burning appliances are'provided withinstant starters whereby air in the fount is used to effect atomizationof the fuel that is delivered to the burners, or the mantles in the caseof the lantern, by way of the vaporizer tube. However, when thevaporizer tube is constructed for the purpose of the present invention,the large capacity and metal surfaces of the vaporizer tube preventproper atomization of the fuel and I, therefore, provide a starting orinstant lighting mechanism that is connected with the fuel supply andmixing chamber independently of the generator and which includes anatomizing tube located within the air tube 66 so that it is cooled bythe air flow therethrough to prevent the fuel vaporizer therein frombeing heated to the decomposing temperatures of the objectionable1chclimpounds such as gums, tetraethyl lead, or the The branch 26 of thevalve is, therefore, located so that it extends below the inlet of theair supply tube 66. Fixed within a boss 86 on the branch of the valve isa nipple 81 to which is xed the lower end of an atomizer tube 88 thatextends upwardly within the air tube 66 and ter minates short of theupper end thereof to mount a discharge nozzle 89 having an orifice 99.

In order to accommodate the atomizer tube without materially reducingthe capacity of the air tube, the portion of the air tube containing theatomizer tube is of larger da-meter as shOWn in Fig. 1 than the upperportion of the air tube. The nipple 81 has a channel 9| that connectswith a. port92 in the branch 2lis whichin h turn, connects with achannel 93 having a valve seat 9 4Ltherein.` Threadedly mounted inthetbranch 2li;A isy a valve stem 95l similar tothe valve; stem 39` andhas a hand'wheely 96 on the outer end thereof so thatthe stem mayberotated to move a coned end 9'! thereof into and out ofengagementwiththe seat 94 so as to pass an. air and fuel mixture fromthe fount when the valve is open and to block the iiow when the valve isclosed.

The channel 93 connects with a channel 98 in the threaded neck 23 of thevalve and mounted in the channel is the upper end of a fuel conveyingtube 99, which tube projects downwardly within the fount through an airtube |00.` T he air tube has an open upper end located within the space20 of the tank 3 and the lower end thereof carries a cage |0| thatencloses a cap |03 having an orifice |04 in connection with the tube|00. The cap is spaced from the tube to provide a passageway for thefuel which flows through openings |05 in the cage into the space andthrough the orifice |04 whenever the valve 94 is unseated.Simultaneously, air is discharged from the space 20 through the upperend of the tube 99 which flows downwardly between the tubes and upwardlywith the fuel through the tube |00 to eifect atomization of the fuel anddischarge of the atomized fuel through the nozzle 89 of the atomizertube 88. thereby providing a readily burnable fuel which is dischargedinto the mixing chamber and flows through the manifold 53 for supplyingthe mantles 58 which when lighted heat the vaporizer tube 45.

Attention is directed to the fact that while the mantles are heating thevaporizer tube to fuel vaporizing temperature, the heat is not eifectiveon the fuel flowing through the vaporizer tube since the air requiredfor combustion carries away any heat that is transmitted to the air tubefrom the mantles, therefore, the fuel in the atomizer tube is kept attemperatures below the deco-mposng point of the objectionable compoundsand the compounds do not decompose or collect within the relativelysmall capacity atomizing tube.

In operating a lantern constructed and assembled as described, the fount3 is supplied with a fuel which may be any of the readily availablefuels such as used for operation of motor vehicles and which usuallycontain gums and anti-knock compounds. Air pressure is then built upwithin the expansion space of the fount upon operation of the pump I8,after which the valve 94 is opened so that a mixture of air and fuel isdischarged through the tube 99 and through the vanorizing tube 88 to themixing chamber from where the atomized mixture passes to the mantles.This mixture is readily lighted by holding a match adjacent the mantles.Air is also being drawn through the air tube from the exterior of thelantern through the opening '|0 so as to maintain the temperature withinthe atomizing tube below the decomposing temperature of theobjectionable compounds contained in the fuel passing therethrough;therefore, the objectionable compounds are discharged as a liquid andburned within the mantles. Heat from the incandescent mantleg is readilytransmitted to the vaporizer tube t0 heat the walls thereof s0 that whenthe valve 38 is opened and fuel flows from the fount through the tube 33the fuel vaporizes therein and the vapor is-dishargedlthrough theorifice into thel mixingA chamber to maintain burning operation at themantles.

The vaporizing temperature may be higher thanthe temperatures at whichthe objectionable compounds decompose; consequently, the compounds willdecompose within the vaporizer tube andncollect on the walls thereof,however, since the capacity of the vaporizer tube is relatively large,the particles of decomposition may accumulate overa considerable periodof time before the vaporizer must be cleaned or replaced with a new one.Should the nozzle orifice of the vaporizer tend to clogr it is readilycleaned by operation of the clean-out needle.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that I have provided a liquid fuelburning appliance which may be provided with an instant startingmechanism and which is successfully operated on motor fuels containinggums, anti-knock compounds, and the like, sincethe atomized fuel usedfor starting is bypassed around the vaporizer to burner and thecombustion supporting air prevents the atomized air from reachingtemperatures above the temperatures at which objectionable compounds aredecomposed, thus, the atomzer tube remains clean and free of deposits sothat it is of the required size to effect proper atomization of thefuel, while the vaporizer is of large enough capacity to avoid cloggingover relatively long periods of operation.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A liquid fuel burning apparatus including a burner, -a mixing chamberabove the burner and having a flow connection therewith, a source offuel supply below the burner, a vaporizer extending through the heatzone of the burner and having discharge into the mixing chamber, an airsupply duct also extending through the heat zone of the burner andhaving discharge into the mixing chamber, an atomizer contained withinthe portion of the air supply duct which extends through the heat zoneof the burner whereby the air moving through the air duct protects theatomizer from the heat of the burner, and separate duct means connectingthe vaporizer and atomizer with the fuel supply.

2. A liquid fuel burning apparatus including a burner, a mixing chamberabove the burner and having a flow connection therewith, a vaporizerextending through the heat zone of the burner and having dischargecoaxially of the mixing chamber, an air duct also extending through theheat zone of the burner and having lateral discharge into the mixingchamber, an atomizer contained within the portion of the air supply ductwhich extends through the heat zone of the burner and having dischargeinto the air duct for supl plying vaporized fuel to the mixing chamberby way of said duct, a fuel supply means below the burner, and ductmeans connecting the vaporizer and atomizer with the fuel supply.

3. A liquid fuel burning apparatus including a l vertically disposedmixing chamber, a mantle,

means suspending the mantle below the mixing chamber and providing flowconnection between the mantle and upper portion of the mixing chamber, afuel vaporizing tube extending through the heatl Zone of the mantle andhaving coaxial discharge into the mixing chamber, means supplying fuelto the vaporizer, an al11 ow duct also extending through the heat zoneof the mantle and discharging laterally into the mixing chamber forsupplying combustion supporting air for mixture with the fuel vapordischarged from the vaporizer, a fuel atomizer extending through theportion of the air supply duct which extends through the heat Zone ofthe mantle whereby the atomizer is cooled by air flow through the airsupply duct, and means for supplying fuel to said atomizer.

BOYD W. TULLIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

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